The Law of Love
by AwesomeMJay
Summary: AU: What would have happened to Kate Beckett if her mother hadn't died, and instead her father had? A total AU with humour, romance and a few cookies which will rock your socks off. It'll be Caskett  but not as in characters dying - the shipper ship


**AN: **Ok, so this is my first Castle fanfic, and if you're a Chuck fan you probably know me as that person who never finishes a story (unless it's a one shot) so I apologise about that but my computer with the rest of the chapters was wiped so everything was lost, and I didn't really have the will power to rewrite ;( Apologies. So Castle is probably my favourite show right now and oh my god that finale! I know right? My dad has been seriously mean to me over it taunting me over the ending because I may have had a little bit of an outrage... ok a major meltdown.

So I hope you like this, go easy on me – it's not intended to be a one shot and it's an AU because this has been floating around my head for a while. I actually go away to Kelso on Saturday morning for about a week because I do agility with my dog so I'm training there so I won't be online but feel free to message me, poke me to write more or whatever. I've not had a BETA on this so all mistakes are mine and please review at the end because every time you read a chapter and don't review a small child is eaten by an alligator.

**Too Lazy Didn't Read (TLDR):** I am the master of the universe, buy me cookies and give me reviews.

Enjoy!

**The Law of Love**

**Chapter One**

When she was younger she remembered making a list of things she was scared of.

When she was younger she remembered her father taking the list and making all her fears vanish into thin air.

Things were easier when she was younger because her father fought her fears for her, he was a pillar of unshakable reassurance. One of her earliest memories of him had been at a birthday party, a little boy who lived down the street had turned seven but his mother had been unable to get a birthday clown. Of course Jim had run to the rescue and dressed as a clown to put on an awful, but amusing show which even entertained the adults. Over the years Kate had come to expect this behaviour from her father, the usually mild mannered nature coupled with an underlying amusement of life itself.

A lot had changed over the years, but she was thankful that the memory of Jim Beckett stayed static, with the constant reminder of his worn leather watch which adorned her left wrist. It had become more worn now, but she no longer needed to use double sided tape to keep it in place like she had needed at his funeral. She could still distinctly recall the watch sliding over her hand when she was getting dressed in her room, her clothes had been too dark, her hair was too wild and to make matters worse she had run out of waterproof mascara so she ended the day with black streaks marking the tracks of her tears.

The one thing she remembers most about her father's funeral was not the droll comments made by her Uncle Kenny, or the aura of overwhelming loss, instead it was the tears, or lack of. Johanna Beckett had stood at the front of the church, beside her daughter, with an unwavering strength. No tears were shed, instead her eyes remained empty as if the light had been ripped from her soul. She held an elegant posture and held herself as the picture definition of composed. Kate, on the other hand had focused on Jim's old watch staring at the tiny scratches on the face trying to figure out what had caused each one.

Over the years she treated the watch as her last connection to her father, and looked to it as if it would somehow reveal things about her father that she had not understood when she was younger. She searched for the story that had been hidden and looked for answers from the slow ticking which had started long before she had been born.

Her mother had thrown herself into work after Jim's death, pushing herself to be more and more career driven, even changing back to her maiden name, Harding. Then Flint & Harding was established, her own law firm alongside an old colleague Marcus Flint, whom she had a less than friendly relationship before Jim's death. As each day passed the old Johanna faded and the new business focused Ms Harding replaced each tiny feature that was so distinctly caring. After five years had passed when Kate had turned nineteen the transformation was complete and Katherine's future was just another investment.

_Katherine. _That was what her mother called her, it changed quickly as pet names seemed to become too intimate for her mother. Katie had become a name of the past, and Kate had grown to hate the thought of people ever calling her by that name again. She learned to become career focused, a lesson taught well by her mother, never being allowed to party till late hours at night or get drunk at sleepovers.

Her attempts at rebelling were quashed from the first day, and she had learned the hard way after when her mother became even more distant, and her disapproving eyes cast upon her teenage figure. It was then Kate had vowed to not break her only connection to her mother, and she had agreed to their business proposition of taking over the firm after she graduated Harvard Law School.

Now at twenty seven Katherine Beckett had become the youngest partner at the firm, Flint & Harding, which had become globalised law firm for those rich and famous who were in need of legal advice. New York City had three large branches of the firm, one headed by Johanna, another by Marcus Flint, and the final one by Kate herself. The perks of dealing with the rich and famous was most definitely the money, as well as the reputation and ability to get into any club that was deemed hot by the celebrity news. The worst parts of the job were the tantrums, the utter lack of control that they had, as well as the inability to comprehend that no means no.

Today was a less desirable day.

"No Mr Coleman you cannot sue the city for erecting a new stop sign-"

"Well this is ridiculous I pay you to deal with the legal side of things and I expect you solve them immediately."

Kate muted the growl that was gathering in the back of her throat, since making partner she had been tasked with the more difficult clients.

"Mr Coleman it is not my job to prevent the state from erecting new stop signs or speed restrictions-"

"But-"

"-so unless you have a more pressing matter which acquires my immediate attention, which involves you breaking the law, then I will need to get back to-"

His exasperated sigh could be heard and she could almost picture him running a hand through his hair.

"Fine, but when I break this sign you're the one I'm going to call to fix it."

"Goodbye Mr Coleman."

She slammed the phone down with more force than necessary and let out another huff, her hands rubbed the back of her neck soothingly. Sometimes she hated her job. The longing to return home and have a nice relaxing bath with a glass of wine was almost overpowering, but instead she opted to write some more appointments in her diary. She hadn't gotten to the second appointment when her intercom beeped, and made the effort to bite back a groan of annoyance when her assistant's, Melody, name flashed in front of her. She pressed the loud speaker button,

"Yeah Mel?"

Her mother had always told her not to get friendly with the staff, but Mel had seemed to grow on Kate and a common ground had been established between the two.

"There's a Richard Castle waiting for you, he says he's a new client."

A wave of annoyance washes over her.

"I wasn't aware I was taking new clients."

"He said he was transferred by Ms Harding, sorry Ms Beckett would you like me to check again?"

The nervous jitter of Melody's voice was apparent.

"No Mel that's fine, send him through."

Kate turned off the speaker and stood, briskly brushing down her skirt and standing with correct posture. The large wooden doors swung open, and a man in his mid thirties strode through confidently admiring the chic designs. His blue eyes swept over her quickly, assessing which persona he should be using. A boyish smile graced his lips causing Kate's eyebrows to quirk ever so slightly, as she internally groaned.

"I'm Rick Castle"

"Kate Beckett"

She extended a hand anticipating a handshake, instead being surprised when she felt his lips brush the back of her hand. Great, another one looking to charm.

"So what can I assist you with today Mr Castle?"

"Rick, please"

"Ok Rick."

He grinned.

"Well Kate I seem to have had a minor misunderstanding with a police officer and his horse."

Kate bit her tongue at his confidence to address her by forename and mentally rolled her eyes at his carefulness surrounding the so called misunderstanding. She pulled out a pad of paper and began to write notes.

"So will you describe this incident in full detail-"

"I have a daughter."

He blurted it out quickly and gave a sheepish smile afterward.

"Who was involved in the incident?"

"Oh no, that was all me but you know how news travels and-"

"Mr Cast-Rick, I can assure you that this matter will be dealt with discreetly and efficiently."

He nodded slowly.

"Well after an eventful night out at Twist, it's a new club you probably haven't heard of it-"

She quirked an eyebrow biting back the retort of being at the Twist's first opening.

"-but anyway I may have happened to be a slightly bit intoxicated and during my drunken haze I may have commandeered a police horse in order to try and escape arrest."

She nodded and jotted down a few more notes.

"Oh does it matter that I was naked?"

Kate dragged her eyes from the paper and gave him an incredulous look.

"What? It's Spring."

"Right. My proposed course of action would be to have the charges dropped, and a generous donation to be anonymously made to the NYPD."

"Why does it have to be made anonymously?"

"You want to keep this low key?"

He nodded

"The first thing a decent reporter does is check their sources for large pay outs to organisations by those in the celebrity circle, once they find it they'll keep digging and before you know it you're front page news."

She looked over him quickly.

"Well page six news."

His eyebrows shot up and he opened his mouth, then closed it again.

"Generous donation, got it."

He looks at her expectantly, and his eyes seem to sparkle with enthusiasm as he speaks.

"So aren't you curious who I am? Oooh or do you already know me? Are you a fan?"

"No, no and no."

The furrows of his brow seem to draw together, and Kate hides a smirk at being able to play the mystery writer so well.

"Maybe you didn't hear my name right, Rick Castle, as in Storm Fall?"

He peered at her curiously

"Derrick Storm?"

"No, if that's all then-"

"Well you know what this means?"

Her eyes widen for a fraction of a second and she shakes her head slightly

"That I don't have time to read about fictional murderers because I live in reality?"

"Aha!"

He smiles triumphantly and she does not veil her surprised expression.

"So you _have _read them."

"No I didn't say that-"

"I didn't mention anything about murder."

His eyebrows danced comically.

"I have a fan I assume."

"I don't know, do you?"

He ignored her comment.

"So how much of a fan, oh my god you're a member of my fan site!"

"No!"

"Me thinks the lady doth protest too much."

She shot him an incredulous look as he continued and leaned on her desk, until he was close to her face.

"I would be happy to give you a personal reading-"

"And I would be happy to give you a personal restraining order."

She smirked as he shook his head.

"I have been told I am a very _very _talented lover, I have incredibly soft hands-"

She leaned closer to him so his breath mingles with her own, speaking in a soft sultry tone.

"Why don't you take your incredibly soft hands-"

She flicks her eyes down to his lips then stares into his lust filled eyes.

"and slowly wrap them around that hard-"

Her tongue runs over her teeth slowly.

"door handle and leave this office right now."

His face looks dumbfounded as she leans back in her chair, he grins to himself and turns to leave.

"Until tomorrow, Kate."

"Goodnight Rick."

The door clicked softly behind him as Kate Beckett's head hits the desk whilst she lets out a growl of frustration. Never a dull moment, she sighs.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: **Review! I hope you like this alternate universe, it was sort of jumping around my head yesterday night. If anyone has suggestions for crazy things Castle could do to get himself into trouble next they would be greatly appreciated (not that I'm lacking in the crazy department) and I still can't decide if I want Beckett to have a dog (Castle is not her dog , ok!)...


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